You're Here Too

Rujierd's footsteps faded into the distance.

Only the sound of our breathing remained in the tent, mingling so that I couldn't tell whose was more hurried.

Eris still had her hand pressed against the back of my head, her fingers tangled in my knotted hair. Her fingertips rested against my scalp, a little cool.

My brain was still offline.

Eris had actually taken the initiative to kiss me. No, wait, hadn't I moved first? No, that wasn't right either. We'd leaned in at the same time. I really couldn't remember who'd moved first. All I could think about was the moment our lips touched. In two lifetimes, this was the first time a girl had taken the initiative to kiss me.

It's over, Rudeus Greyrat. You just kissed Eris the mad dog. If this were a dream, I should've woken up by now. This isn't a dream.

My heart pounded so loudly it sounded like a drum beating inside my ears.

Calm down, Rudeus. Last night... I know there might be despair behind this moment of tenderness. After all, her homeland and family are gone, so I can't respond lightly. I can't let Eris down. But at least for now, she's still by my side.

Eris let go, stepped back, and looked down at me.

I sat on the blanket-covered ground and looked up at her. Her crimson hair hung over her shoulders, a few strands resting against her cheeks. The morning light shone on it, making the red glow. Her clothes were still wrinkled, and the button she'd fastened wrong at her collar was still crooked, its buttonhole pulled to one side.

She hadn't left.

Those words circled through my mind, but then I wondered: why had I thought she would leave?

She doesn't think she's strong enough. After all, she's always saying, "I'll protect Rudeus!" Ever since we met that monster at the Red Dragon's Lower Jaw, I've felt a phantom pain in my chest whenever I think about it. I don't know how I survived that situation. All I saw was the fear and guilt on Eris's face as she cried and called my name.

How had she felt then?

Maybe I knew, maybe I didn't. But she was still here, still by my side.

I reached out and touched her hand where it hung at her side.

Her fingers were callused from years of sword practice. They were a little rough, but warm, and I felt warm inside.

I drifted through thirty-four years in my previous life, and not one person chose to stay by my side. My parents, my friends, my older brother... In this life, I have a family, Master Roxy, and Rujierd. Most importantly, I have Eris. After last night, I thought she would leave me.

My throat was a little dry, and my voice came out hoarse.

"Eris."

"What?"

Her voice was a little hoarse too. Then she turned her face away, the tips of her ears as red as her hair.

"You... really aren't leaving?"

"How many times have I told you?" She frowned. "Are you deaf, or is your brain broken?"

"No... I just..."

I opened my mouth, only to find I didn't know what to say. "Thank you" was too little, "I'm happy" sounded too fake, and "I'm afraid you'll leave" was too embarrassing.

In those galgames from my previous life, which option was I supposed to pick at a time like this? A: "Thank you for staying." Too formal. B: "I'm happy." Too fake. C: Stay silent and gaze at her lovingly. Give me a break. I can't even make normal eye contact.

"What, am I bothering you?"

Eris spoke up suddenly.

Her tone was flat, but her hand tightened around her sword hilt. I knew she grabbed it when she was nervous. We'd been together for three years, after all.

"Of course not!" I spoke so quickly and loudly that even I was startled by my own voice. "I just... didn't think you'd really stay."

"Why not?"

"Because... you're strong. Much stronger than me. You could go train on your own, get even stronger, and then..."

"Then what?"

She stared at me, making me a little nervous.

"You thought I just wanted to sleep with you, then up and leave?" She turned her head away, her face a little red.

I didn't answer.

"You think I don't know what would happen if I left you alone?" Her voice dropped. "You wouldn't eat, you wouldn't sleep, and you'd shut yourself in the tent reading until dawn. Who's going to protect you after Rujierd leaves?"

"I-I can protect myself..."

"Protect yourself? If you run into an enemy like that again and I'm gone, what are you going to do!?"

Protect myself...? Honestly, I'd probably die. On the Demon Continent, Rujierd and Eris were always at the front. Who sends a mage into close combat? Wouldn't that be sending them to their death? Heh, it's just like the RPGs from my previous life.

"Rudeus!" Eris let go of her sword hilt. "I'm not leaving. Wherever you go, I'll go. I'm yours now anyway."

She smiled as she said it, but her tone was serious. I was a little shocked, but when I thought about it, she was right. A fifteen-year-old girl had given her most important first time to a man younger than herself. Whatever the reason, I had to take it seriously.

"But you said... you had to get stronger to protect..." My voice softened.

"I'm not leaving you. I'm going to stay with you and get stronger." She cut me off. "Do I have to go to the Sword Sanctum alone to get stronger? Rujierd's been teaching me for three years, and I'm still getting stronger."

She paused.

"I've already spoken to Ghislaine about it."

"Yes, Lady Eris told me she was going to stay with her beloved Rudeus forever." The voice came from outside. Ghislaine had appeared outside the tent at some point.

So she'd thought about leaving too? Never mind, at least she's still here. But was Ghislaine smiling when she said that?

I didn't say it aloud, though. I just smiled at Eris.

She was embarrassed; I could tell at a glance. Though she'd turned her face away and wouldn't look at me, she kept fiddling with her long hair, and her ears were red as fire.

Eris Boreas Greyrat. At fifteen, she already had the strength of a Sword Saint, yet here she was, blushing like a "little woman."

This is probably... the first time I've seen her like this. She's kind of cute.

No, I'd seen it last night too, but it had been too dark to see anything clearly. Now it was early morning, and sunlight streamed through the gaps in the canvas onto her face. Her face was very red.

My heart started racing out of control again.

"Idiot." She'd probably noticed my expression.

Then she punched me in the shoulder again.

She hadn't put any strength into it. It was much lighter than when she usually hit me.

But I decided to pretend anyway.

"Ow."

"I barely even hit you."

"I know."

She glared at me, but the look had no force behind it.

I couldn't help laughing.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me." Her face was still very red.

"I just thought..." I considered it, then decided to be honest for once. "Thank you for staying. I'm happy."

She froze for a moment.

Then she turned away again, her long crimson hair swinging across half her face.

"Shut up."

Her voice came out muffled from behind her hair.

"Shut up." Eris always says that. Translated, it means: "I'm happy too, but I can't say it, so stop asking or I'll punch you again, and this time I'll really put some strength into it."

The wind rustled outside the tent. In the distance, the ruins of the Fittoa Territory lay silent in the morning light. Her homeland, which was also mine in a way, now had nothing left.

She had chosen to stay by my side.

After losing everything, she had chosen me in the end.

This didn't happen overnight. It was probably little by little over the past three years... Forget it. I can't figure it out. I couldn't figure it out in thirty-four years in my previous life, and I probably won't in this one either. But I know she loves me deeply. I'll never let her down. Never.

I took a deep breath and stood up.

My knees were a little weak. Something inside me had swelled so full that my body couldn't contain it.

"Let's go." I took a couple of steps toward the tent entrance and realized she wasn't following. I looked back at her.

She stood there with her head lowered, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly.

"Eris?"

"...You go out first."

"What's wrong?"

"I have to change my clothes, obviously!"

Only then did I notice that her collar was still crooked, the button still fastened wrong.

"Sorry." I quickly turned and headed out.

When I reached the entrance, she said something behind me. Her voice was very quiet.

"Rudeus."

"Yeah?"

"...Thanks for saying you're happy I stayed."

I stood at the entrance with my back to her as sunlight streamed through the gaps and shone on my face.

I couldn't stop the corners of my mouth from rising.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop smiling.

"...Me too."

I lifted the flap and walked out.

The light outside was a little dazzling, and the early morning air was cool, carrying the mingled scent of earth and dry grass. I squinted and took a deep breath, hoping to cool my face so it wouldn't look so red.

Rujierd sat beside the campfire, his bald head faintly gleaming in the morning light, the ruby on his forehead glinting dark red. He was stirring the coals with his spear, his movements slow but rhythmic.

He heard my footsteps and looked up at me.

He said nothing.

He lowered his head and went back to stirring the coals.

He took two steps, then looked back.

"...Breakfast is ready."

Ghislaine came over, sat down, and patted me on the shoulder. "Rudeus, since Lady Eris has decided to stay with you, I'll be leaving."

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to her?" I looked at her.

"No. Say goodbye to her for me." With that, she turned and left.

I thought she was probably going to the Sword Sanctum Eris had mentioned. "Take care of her, Rudeus!" she called. I couldn't see her clearly, but she must have been smiling.

I will! Though I didn't answer, that was what I said in my heart. Or was it because Ghislaine walked away without looking back as soon as she'd spoken, leaving me no chance to say it? Even if I had, she wouldn't have heard.

I will!

I repeated it in my heart.